Joseph D. Hovey, Ph.D., received a Ph.D. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from The University of Michigan and a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA. He completed a pre-doctoral internship at the University of Michigan's Psychological Clinic. Currently, Dr. Hovey is Professor at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in the Department of Psychological Science, Co-Director of the Behavioral Health Lab at UTRGV, and a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Texas. Before his stay at UTRGV, Dr. Hovey served as Professor and Chair of Psychology at The University of Toledo and was a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Ohio.

​Dr. Hovey is an internationally recognized scholar in the areas of suicide risk and prevention, mental health of acculturating individuals, rural health, cultural adaptation and development of psychological measures, and the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions for anxiety, depression, and suicide behavior.

Dr. Hovey has an extensive record of publications and grant funding in these areas. For example, he has received grant funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). He has presented his research at meetings of organizations such as the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, and the American Association of Suicidology. Dr. Hovey serves as a Commissioner on the American Psychological Association's Commission on Accreditation, has served on the editorial board of several journals, has served in leadership positions for professional and community organizations, and has provided consultation and educational outreach to numerous community groups and stakeholders.

Dr. Hovey has been the recipient of numerous accolades for his research, service, and teaching. For example, in 2024, Dr. Hovey was named an inaugural Highly Ranked Scholar by ScholarGPS, which utilizes computational processes and algorithms to generate quantitative rankings of researchers in terms of their productivity and the quality and impact of their research. ScholarGPS ranks Dr. Hovey as the #4 scholar in the world in the area of suicidal ideation. In addition, in recognition of the strong impact that his community-based research and service has had on reducing health disparities, Dr. Hovey received the 2024 Faculty Excellence Award in Community Engagement from the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). Dr. Hovey also received a Faculty Excellence Award from UTRGV in 2017 in recognition of his success in obtaining external grant funding. 

Dr. Hovey has taught Undergraduate Courses on Abnormal Psychology, Childhood Psychopathology, Introductory Psychology, Stress Management, Clinical Psychology, and Research Methods, and Graduate Courses on Psychopathology, Clinical Interviewing, Clinical Supervision, Ethics, and Teaching Methods. Finally, Dr. Hovey has provided mentorship to dozens of graduate and undergraduate students and has served on over a hundred masters theses, doctoral dissertations, and honors theses committees.